Newsletter of The Friends of Fort York and Garrison Common Vol.24, No.1 April 2020 2 Plundering muddy York 12 Communist from Toronto 15 Tasting Black History 7 Retaliation for what? leading soldiers in Spain 16 Mrs. Traill’s Advice 9 An early modern view 14 Retiring Richard Haynes 17 Notes from the editor of the garrison’s homes 15 Traditional challah prevails 18 Architecture on television Silver, booze and pantaloons: the American looting of York in April 1813 by Fred Blair George III Guinea, 1795, is 8.35 grams of 22 carat gold; diam- Gold guineas were perfect eter 24 mm, a little bigger than a Canadian plunder in the lawless days following quarter. These circulated throughout British North the Battle of York, fought across the ground of America during the War of 1812. Courtesy RoyalMint.com. downtown Toronto on April 27. We lost badly. After five days of American occupation, public buildings were in ruins and the treasury was gone. But how bad was the plunder of private homes? A look at the claims for compensation, p.2. ieutenant Ely Playter, a farmer in the 3rd York Militia, government warehouses – after they’d been emptied of trophies wrote in his diary that he was just leaving the eastern gate and useful stores – were soon reduced to ashes, by accident or of the fort when the great magazine “Blew up.” Although design. But these were public buildings. How severe was the Lit killed more U.S. soldiers than the fighting itself, ending the looting of private homes in the wake of the battle? Battle of York, the vast explosion left Ely stunned but otherwise This is an examination of the claims filed by individuals for unharmed. He watched Major-General Sheaffe march off toward losses resulting from the capture of York. The claims are focused Kingston and quickly helped set fire to the dockyard, where the on goods that were “taken and Plundered by the enemy,” as many unfinished 30-gun frigate Sir Isaac Brock was one of the reasons of them say. They reveal some interesting aspects of the American York was attacked. Then looting during the Ely and a few other occupation and about militiamen, with their the households of the frightened families, town at the time. These made their way to his claims for compensation father’s farm a mile or so open a small window up the Don River. into Upper Canadian The next day a friend social history. appeared at Ely’s nearby During the War of farm with a waggon 1812 and immediately (“hearing I was killed”) after it, local military so he sent his wife boards ruled on claims and children with his submitted for losses friend north to safety sustained as a result in Newmarket. of the war. In 1815, It was two days Lieutenant Governor after the battle that Gore appointed for this an American looting purpose an overarching party “came to my commission which House, Broke the door Pine Grove was the name of the Givins home, ransacked in the wake of the battle. Built in 1802, submitted a report and took many things.” it was designed by William Berczy. This front section – with two big rooms above a stone cellar the following year. No According to Ely’s later – was added later to a main structure, obscured in this view, that was one-and-a-half storeys claims were actually tall. On April 27, 1813, these front rooms were the brief refuge of wounded allied warriors, whose claim for losses, they blood was said to have soaked into the floorboards. This image is a watercoloured version of a paid out then, and it made off with some sketch by Owen Staples, made in 1888 three years before the house was torn down. It stood at was estimated that the cash and jewellery, his the top of Givins St. not far from Garrison Creek. Courtesy Toronto Public Library JRR 675 Cab cost of covering them all sword, clothing, and would have been three other items – including his regimental head-dress. He and his times the provincial income. A new commission was appointed brother George watched from the woods until dark. in 1823, with more satisfactory results. In the morning he finally went down to the ruined fort to In 2012 Library & Archives Canada published digital surrender and, after visiting some wounded friends, went back microfilm records that included 23 reels from the War Loss to find the American commander. “I spoke to Genl. Dearborn of Claims commissions. The documents recorded on microfilm his Men Plundering my House,” recorded include the original claims, records of the Ely. “He said it was contrary to his orders there is no record of anyone boards’ proceedings, various schedules and and he had station’d an officer in Town to being gravely assaulted registers, and vouchers for the eventual prevent it.” They both knew that private payments. property was given explicit protection Claims were categorized according to in the terms of the town’s surrender. The general assured the the cause of the loss. The boards recognized four causes: damage aggrieved lieutenant that he’d look into the matter and have the or loss caused by His Majesty’s troops, allied warriors, or the miscreants punished. enemy; and damage or loss sustained while providing transport Major-General Dearborn, who issued few orders of any kind, or supplies to the forces. A total of 2,055 claims were presented had in fact done little to discourage the pillaging. Although for compensation. There was a board for each type of claim and the town of York was virtually lawless in those cool, rainy days some people had to make two or more claims to different boards. at the end of April, there is no record of anyone being gravely Included in this total were 130 claims that were paid in March, assaulted. A few American officers took it upon themselves 1813, only a month before the battle. There were problems with to prevent or discourage the pillaging. The buildings of the the army’s accounting system at the beginning of the war and old garrison had been ruined by cannon fire and the explosion a number of Upper Canadians were not initially paid for their while the legislative building, the town blockhouse and several service in the militia, for providing accommodations or transport, 2 The Fife and Drum April 2020 John and Penelope Beikie lived in the house in the middle of this tranquil scene painted just after the war. The large white house in the foreground belonged to George Crookshank, a senior supply officer of the army. Thoroughly looted, the house was used by the U.S. Army during the occupation. Crookshank’s house was at the corner of Front and Peter Streets; from there to the garrison was only a wide-open field, good for grazing. A tavern stands just beyond the Beikie house. Detail of untitled oil on paper by Robert Irvine, 1815, 16” x 10” Courtesy Royal Ontario Museum 2004.85.2 (Bequest of Helen S. Heward) for wood cutting, and for deliveries of food, firewood, candles aboard their ships. This is most, if not all, of the claims filed by and other supplies. citizens whose property at York was pillaged; a few other claims One important cause of loss was not considered by the with absent or ambiguous dates or locations might have been commission: looting by the residents themselves. Some of these included, but these 24 well represent the Upper Canadians. thieves were the “disaffected” – residents who were highly critical The only other individual losses not counted here are the of the local government and openly supportive of the republican possessions of the officers of British regiments that retreated cause. Others were merely criminal opportunists (the victors from York. Each was compensated (by the army, not the treasury had emptied the jail). Still others were of Upper Canada) typically for “three happy to cart home supplies distributed “every house they found deserted fourths of his personal baggage.” by American officials at the wharves, was completely sacked” Sheaffe’s own valuable personnel effects where more public stores had piled up – including a dress coatee with gold than the already crowded fleet could embroidery and a splendid musical carry. There was so much that the Reverend John Strachan, the snuff box – were seized and taken to Dearborn. They were later young Anglican who seemed to be everywhere that week, was auctioned off to American officers. given 50 barrels of flour to distribute to the poor. While he went Of the 24 claims examined, four were rejected. Patrick Strange, to find a waggon, most of these barrels disappeared. an assistant barrack master at the York garrison, claimed for a Many of the criminals and the disaffected were dealt with list of items including all his lost clothing. Strange was also, harshly by the justice system in subsequent months. York being however, a sergeant on the rolls of the Glengarry Regiment of a small town of some 700 souls, a few of these people were well Light Infantry Fencibles – a British regiment, not militia – so his known to their neighbours. claim was rejected as inadmissible. Jacob Clock of York Township Claimants had to report the date and place of their loss, who claimed he had lost five cows and two calves to allied warriors. was responsible, a description of the stolen items and their value The board’s investigation found instead that “he had sold his (with proof when available) and a certification that the claim cattle to the enemy.” was “just and true,” preferably by a witness to the event.